Ailing ERs threaten patients, leave communities vulnerable

[flashl]

On the night of her baby's seizure in February, Brandy Nannini discovered a harsh reality of today's overtaxed medical system. The ambulance crew that responded to her 911 call refused to take 23-month-old Bella to a nearby Washington, D.C., hospital where her doctor was waiting. The emergency room was so crowded it was closed to new patients. Despite Nannini's pleas, the ambulance was diverted to suburban Virginia.

Bella got to a hospital in time. But Nannini, who has insurance but goes to the ER often because of her child's seizures, was shocked that emergency rooms could simply close.

They can, and they do. In fact, they have little choice. Once a rare safety valve, "diversions" to other hospitals have become routine. And they are just one symptom of an emergency system that is sick.

Rising health care costs have forced hundreds of hospitals out of business, mostly in poorer areas, putting pressure on those that remain. They, too, are racing to trim costs, and there's little incentive to focus on ERs, which are not money-makers. So the sickest patients are endangered, and communities are left unprepared for disasters, whether a bus crash, a hurricane or a terror attack.

USA Today

It is with wonderment one can observe the amazing ability within the magic kingdom that allows, within bubble economies, trillions of dollars to be created from the thin air while remaining parts of the U.S. crumble.